Love is Blind
by ghostanimal
Summary: Kodlak was too kind for his own good. Why else would he allow this young, blind girl into the Companions? Still, Kodlak was a wise man, and Vilkas trusted the elder's judgement. He just had to hope that this one would last the week. VilkasxFemaleOC
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I only own a copy of Skyrim.

* * *

The first time Vilkas saw her, it was because she had given him the false hope that the crazy man in front of the statue near Jorrvaskr was finally shot with an arrow. He had gone out to investigate upon noticing the silence that was usually pierced by his shrieking, a secret excitement shattered when he realized that he wasn't dead. He was talking excitably to her, and she was eagerly listening to every word he had to say. She was perhaps the only one who ever wanted to talk to him, or even stopped to listen for more than two minutes.

He could tell immediately that she was a Nord, possessing long locks of dark hair and wore a simple green dress. Vilkas stood and watched her and the crazy man exchange conversation before he decided to step in to give her an excuse to escape his ranting about Talos.

As he neared her, a man rushed to her grabbing her wrist, and scolding her for wandering off again. She had laughed at him, telling him that she was fine and that a little wandering did nobody harm. Before Vilkas could make any sort of statement to her, the man had her hand in his and half-dragged her away.

But he saw her the next day. He didn't notice her right away, it was Farkas who saw the young Nord. As he inquired about some fruit for the Companions from Carlotta, Farkas had wandered to her seat on a rock near Carlotta's small stall. When Vilkas turned to talk to his brother, he found that he wasn't beside him anymore. It only took a minute to find his brother, and even less time to join him at his side.

"So you're new here?" Farkas was asking her.

"Yes," she replied with a huge smile. Her dark hair was blocking most of her face, and she didn't seem bothered by it. The man from yesterday quickly rushed over to them, making a fuss over her.

"Who are you two? Lilith, why must you insist on keeping your hair in your face like that? Come on, we have food that will be delivered to our door later," he said, grabbing her hand. She pulled away and scowled.

"Calm yourself, Jon. You worry too much," she told him. The other Nord reached for her hand again, only to have her smack his.

"I'm Vilkas," he introduced himself. "And this is Farkas. We're with the Companions."

"I'm Jon, and this is Lilith," the man introduced himself. He was a tall, blond man in dark clothing. "I'm sorry, but we must be going."

"Why?" Lilith questioned him. "I want to hear stories from the Companions!"

"Another time, Lilith," he reached for her hand again, and she pulled away.

"You do not need to hold my hand," she said. "I can walk by myself."

"I'm supposed to take care of you," he replied, reaching once more.

"I am not delicate!" Lilith whined, finally giving in and not pulling away from his touch, allowing him to intertwine their fingers.

"Are you two married?" Farkas asked, staring at their hands. Jon chuckled.

"No, I'm merely taking care of Lilith until her father returns," he explained. "He's in the army."

Farkas nodded understandingly. Jon looked down at Lilith with a smile and moved some of the dark locks from her face with his free hand. Vilkas could then see why he needed to care for his female companion. Her eyes showed hints of once being a bright blue, but were clouded over and focused on nothing. He tugged on her hand, and she reluctantly stood.

"But they must have interesting stories to tell," she protested when he began to gently pull her in the direction of their home.

"If you really wish to hear some tales, I'm sure our Harbinger won't mind you joining us for dinner one night," Farkas told her. This made her smile brightly. Vilkas gave him a Look as she was half-pulled away. "She's blind, and judging by Jon, he doesn't allow her much excitement. Just humor her and let her hear a few stories."

"Icebrain," Vilkas scoffed. "You'll just raise her hopes about things she can never do." Farkas gave a surprised look, obviously having never thought of this.

"Oh."

"Oh is right. Now come on. We have bandits to kill."

* * *

Vilkas and Farkas finally returned to Jorrvaskr later that evening.

"Where's Kodlak?" Vilkas asked Tilma. She smiled sweetly at him and handed him a slab of cooked meat.

"You need to eat more, you need your energy," she scolded lightly in a motherly way. "And he's outside in the courtyard, dear."

Vilkas thanked her before shifting to look at Farkas, who had sat down next to Torvar with a plate of food. He took a bite of the meat Tilma gave him as he opened the back door to the courtyard.

Kodlak had his shield up, preventing blows by...Lilith? Vilkas briefly browsed before his gaze rested upon Jon sitting in one of the chairs with a cup of mead. He took a seat near him, and Jon nodded towards him.

"Is that Lilith?" he asked. Jon nodded.

"After meeting you two, she begged me to come down here," he explained. "And when Lilith begs me for something...I don't have the strength to tell her no. Brought her down here to check the place out, maybe hear a story from one of the Companions. Before I knew it, the Harbinger himself was offering to teach her how to use a blade."

"Kodlak's like that. He believes anybody with a fire burning in their heart has the potiental to be a Companion. Even the blind," Vilkas told him. Jon nodded, taking another sip of mead from his cup. Vilkas chewed on his food silently as they watched Lilith deliver blows, with a steel sword, pausing to hear advice and instruction from Kodlak. "You know, it's good for her to know some basics on self-defense."

"That's what I figured," Jon agreed. "One day, I might not be able to protect her. Things happen."

They sat in silence, watching the two. Jon refilled his cup, lazily putting a foot up on another chair as Lilith took another swing at Kodlak, who blocked it. The elder grinned, encouraging her blows.

A half hour passed before Kodlak and Lilith stopped. The girl ran up to Jon, excitably chattering away. Jon smiled at her, sitting up straight and taking his foot off the chair.

"Now that you saw Jorrvaskr and got a nice little training session, you ready to head home and stay home for a bit?" Jon asked.

"Actually, Lilith's arm is surprisingly very strong and sure," Kodlak spoke up. Vilkas felt his eyes widen in shock.

"You're not considering..."

"Yes, I am, Vilkas. The Companions is open to those with a firing burning in their hearts," he replied. "And this lady has a fire burning furiously."

Even though her eyes were clouded, Vilkas could see them sparkle. Jon immediately shook his head.

"No," he said. "No, no, no, no, no. She cannot venture out by herself, her father would have my hide if something were to happen."

"I would never let her go out without a Shield-Brother or Sister," Kodlak reasoned. "And I assure you that I will not and would never dream of giving her anything I know she could not handle."

Jon looked doubtfully at Kodlak before looking at Lilith, who's face was directed towards his, his shirt sleeve clutched in her hands.

"I...I...," he mumbled, shifting in his seat. "I'm not...You promise she will receive nothing she could not handle?"

"And I promise you anything that would require her to carry a blade, she would have a Shield-Brother or Sister to watch her back," Kodlak told him.

"Then...alright." Lilith squealed in excitement and threw her arms around his neck. "But one bad injury. One injury that is even the slightest longer than an inch, a cut that is any deeper than a scrap and any bruise bigger than my thumb, and you will retire from Companion life and stay in Breezehome. Is that clear?"

"Yes!" Lilith breathed, hugging him tightly. Vilkas shook his head. Kodlak was too kind for his own good. Why else would he allow this young, blind girl into the Companions? Still, Kodlak was a wise man, and Vilkas trusted the elder's judgement. He just had to hope that this one would last the week. He glanced at her form. She was pretty. And possibly useful for clearing up all the minor brawls and beatings people needed, leaving the more important work to the Companions.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I only own a copy of Skyrim.**

**I know it kind of feels like I'm just repeating what they do in the questline, but I don't have any ideas as to what to do other than the Companion questline until after she joins the Companions as an official member. **

* * *

"Tell me," Aela asked Lilith. The blind girl looked in the direction of her voice. "Do you believe you could handle Kodlak in a real fight?"

"If he was tied up and weaponless I may have a chance," she joked with a wide smile, before taking a sip from her cup. Farkas chuckled.

"Don't be so modest. You probably can't handle Kodlak, but I'm sure you could handle yourself in a fight," he told her. "You have a strong arm and perform sure strikes according to Kodlak, even though you can't see the target."

"Maybe," Lilith replied, her other hand wrapping around her cup. "But I doubt I'd do much damage. I'd need a stronger arm with eyes to help me, like you. Or Vilkas."

Vilkas glanced up when he heard her say his name. Kodlak had invited her and Jon to dinner. Jon was in a conversation with Torvar, while Lilth was chatting with Aela and Farkas. Vilkas looked next to him at Kodlak, who was smiling fondly at her. He wanted to scowl. She was blind. The blind couldn't make powerful Companions. A Companion needed to see his target. She couldn't see her target. She couldn't see anything.

Her shoulders hunched over some as she giggled at a joke from Farkas. Dark hair was covering her cloudy eyes. His eyes narrowed at her some, but his expression softened when Kodlak nudged him.

"Humor her, lad," he said gently. "I know what it is like to live with my vision blocked. People like us need a break from being babied and pitied."

Vilkas nodded, staring at Kodlak's clouded right eye. It was hard to remember that Kodlak himself was blind in one eye from an accident he encountered earlier in his years as a Companion. His left eye was on it's slow journey to becoming useless as well as he grew older.

"It is different," Vilkas insisted. "You saw once, and you just shifted to accommodate your eyes."

"But she is stronger than I, Vilkas. She walks in complete darkness with shoulders straight and chin high, knowing her way despite never seeing her path," he told the younger. "Lilith has never seen color. She does not even grasp what it is, and she never will."

The younger just nodded slowly in respect and understanding towards his elder before looking at Lilith. She was tearing a sweetroll in half, giving one of the halves to Farkas before tearing the other half in half again. She shoved one in her mouth and gave the other to Aela. The huntress smiled and thanked her for it.

He could not think of the girl going any higher than a whelp. But Kodlak seemed to have more than faith in her. He completely trusted the young Nord. And if Kodlak trusted her, then so did Vilkas.

* * *

"Vilkas? Would you mind being Lilith's Shield-Brother?"

Vilkas stared at Lilith before giving Kodlak a curious look.

"What are we doing?" he asked.

"You're going to Riverwood and getting rid of a small pack of wolves that have taken residence in the local inn," she told her. Vilkas raised an eyebrow.

"You think she's up for it?" Vilkas asked, looking at the blind Companion with logical skepticism. Aela had fitted her in some of her spare, studded armor.

"Kodlak thinks so," she replied. "Says her arm should be able to handle a few wolves, especially with a Shield-Brother or Sister."

Vilkas pulled Aela to the side some.

"I don't think she'd be much help if I brought her along," he told her quietly. "She's blind."

"Kodlak has faith in her," Aela replied, crossing her arms. "Her arm is strong, and I put good armor on her."

"The blind can't be good Companions," Vilkas insisted.

"Kodlak is blind in one eye," she reminded him.

"That is different. He can still see. A Companion needs to see their target. She can't see her target. She can't see anything," he protested. Aela flashed him an angry, dangerous look. He flinched some in fear. "Look, can't Farkas take her? Or you? I'm a Companion, not a babysitter for the blind."

"Kodlak specifically said that you were to take her," she told him through gritted teeth. Vilkas sighed heavily.

"Alright," he grumbled. He walked back over to Lilith. He stared hard at her, giving a silent scowl at the clouded eyes that stared at nothing. "Let's go."

She nodded, giving a frown when he grabbed her hand. They walked out of Jorrvaskr and out of Whiterun, walking along the trail silently.

"I'm blind," she suddenly said.

"I know," he grumbled.

"I'm not deaf," she told him. He froze some. "Yes, I heard what you said."

"Look, I just meant-," he began, but she cut him off by holding up a hand.

"You meant what you said, otherwise you wouldn't have said it," she told him. "I am blind, Vilkas. But I am not useless."

"I apologi-"

"And furthermore, I am not delicate either!" she growled, ripping her hand away from his. "You don't need to lead me. I am capable of walking without somebody dragging me along. I don't need a babysitter."

He winced at her choice of words. Looking at her, she kept her face straight ahead. He had to admire that she seemed to walk perfectly fine, avoiding the little holes in the ground, trees and bushes. Nor did she trail off the path the entire walk to Riverwood.

When they reached Riverwood, a man was waiting for them outside the inn in a chair.

"Are you the owner?" Vilkas asked. He shook his head.

"No, but I basically run the place," he said. "Name's Orgnar. I locked the inn so that the wolves couldn't escape."

"Is there anybody inside?" Lilith asked. He shook his head no.

"Okay, since nobody's inside, we don't have to worry about accidently hitting somebody," Vilkas said aloud, a subtle hint to Lilith. He didn't want to let this Orgnar know that they let a blind person into the Companions. "Can you let us in?"

As Orgnar unlocked the front door, Vilkas took out his greatsword as Lilith pulled her Skyforge steel sword out and held her shield up. He debated on asking her to wait for him while he dealt with the issue, but he didn't want to risk her anger or telling Kodlak.

He opened the door and the two went inside. Vilkas looked around for signs of wolves. He sniffed the air, his beast blood excitably telling him that there were definitely wolves there.

A whine caused him to snap behind him, weapon prepared, to face Lilith. Her sword was covered in blood and a dead wolf lay at her feet. She must have known he was looking at her, because she gave him a smirk.

"You got lucky," he said stubbornly.

"Luck had nothing to do with it."

Vilkas turned when he heard a wolf growling. His beast blood made him feel awful for killing the animal in one blow. It always made him feel like that when he killed a wolf. A bite on his arm made him remember the task at hand. Before he could do anything about the wolf that snapped at his arm, Lilith had delivered a painful blow to the creature's back. It didn't die, but whimpered and collapsed to the ground. Vilkas stabbed it through its side, killing it before it had the chance to rise again.

The two wiped out the rest of the wolves. Vilkas could barely admit it to himself that he was surprised when they killed the last one. His arm had a bite mark, but she bared no signs that she had walked in, save for her bloody sword.

"Give me your sword," he told her.

"Why?" she asked, giving him a suspicious look.

"So that I can wipe off the blood before you sheath it," he told her. She accepted his answer and handed it to him. Taking a clothe from the table, he wiped off the blood and fur from her sword before handing it back.

"Thank you," she told him. She ran her fingers over the blade before putting it away. Vilkas wiped off his greatsword before they walked out.

"They're all dead," he reported to an anxious Orgnar. He sighed in relief. "Kind of a mess in there."

"As long as the wolves are dead," he told them, pulling out some coin and handing it to Vilkas. He brushed past them to go inside the inn.

Vilkas stared at the coin before grabbing Lilith's hands and slipping it into her hands.

"It's yours," he told her. She handed half of it back.

"We both did the job. Take at least half."

He gave in after a minute of arguing with her and took half of the two hundred coin they were paid. They walked side by side back to Whiterun. Partway there, she stopped him.

"You're hurt," she told him. He chuckled.

"A wolf bit me," he replied, glancing at some of the drying blood on his arm. "How'd you know?"

"I could smell the blood," she explained. "I thought it was just the wolves blood, but now that we're away from the inn, and I can still smell it, I figured you probably got hurt."

"It's nothing," he insisted.

"I have a bandage," she said, completely ignoring him. She grabbed his right arm and felt it. Upon feeling no cut, she dropped it and grabbed his left, her fingers brushing against dry blood. She pulled him towards the stream. "I'll take care of that."

Before he could protest, she had him sitting next to the stream, his left arm bare as she cleaned it off. She expertly wiped off all the blood and bandaged it with no problems.

"Hey Vilkas," she said slyly as she finished bandaging the wound.

"Yeah?"

"Isn't it ironic that the strong, brave Companion got hurt and the delicate, fragile blind girl walked out with no injuries but yet still did the same amount of work?"

He growled.

"Shut up."

* * *

"How was her arm?" Kodlak asked. Vilkas scowled. They had returned, and Lilith was excitably telling Aela her adventure. The redhead was eagerly listening to every word.

"She was…okay," he said hesitantly. Kodlak chuckled at him.

"She did better than you expected, didn't she?" he said more than asked.

"…Yes…"

"Remember that, Vilkas," the elder spoke, looking eye to eye with Vilkas. "The Companions is welcome to all who have a fire burning in their hearts. Even if they are blind, deaf, mute or anything in between. All that matters, Vilkas, is their hearts."

"Aye," he said weakly, staring at the two girls squealing over Lilith's adventure.

He stood up to leave, catching Lilith's attention. Vilkas walked down the steps to the living quarters, needing some sleep. She excused herself from Aela and caught him in the hallway.

"What do you want, milk drinker?" he grumbled.

"Just wanted to say thank you for accompanying me today," she said, giving him a small frown. Lilith then flashed a huge smile and a giggle. "Are you still mad that I did better than you?"

"You didn't do better than me," he argued. Her hands found his cheeks and patted them lightly.

"You're too cute when you pretend to be big and fierce," she teased before kissing his nose and going back upstairs to continue her conversation with Aela. He growled to himself and slunk off to bed.

* * *

Two weeks passed. Every morning, Jon would drop Lilith off at Jorrvaskr and head off to working at the meadery, coming back late in the evening to take her home.

To his annoyance, Kodlak always had Vilkas travel with her as a Shield-Brother. He was sure it was due to him being the only one that just couldn't warm up to the blind girl.

Every trip they took, they would fight over Lilith's abilities the entire way there. He always expected to carry back her corpse, but he surprised her each time by surviving. Not just surviving, but able to do more than just stand there and wave a sword around. Lilith silently impressed him with preventing attacks that almost killed him, her surprisingly stealth always keeping her just out of harm's way and the ability she possessed to detect ambushes. It only happened twice, but she detected both and prepared Vilkas for the fight.

When he asked her how she knew, she grinned.

"I'm blind, but I'm not deaf," she had told him. "If you listen, really listen, then you can hear them moving around the trees."

Vilkas woke up two weeks after the whelp first joined to find her nowhere. She was normally in the dining hall, talking to Farkas or Aela. But when he stepped in, he didn't see her. When she wasn't with them, she was with Kodlak in his private quarters but he had checked before he stepped to the dining hall and found neither Lilith nor Kodlak there.

"Where's Lilith? Did Jon not drop her off?" he asked Skjor.

"She went with Farkas for her trial," he replied. Vilkas was bewildered. He was always stuck going with her.

"But Kodlak always has me go with her," Vilkas said slowly.

"Yeah, but she hears you bitch every time about it, so she asked Kodlak if somebody else could take her for her trial, and Farkas volunteered," Skjor said, giving him a Look. Vilkas felt a bit guilty. "Look, Vilkas. Every other Companion, from Torvar to Kodlak, has no complaints concerning her but you. I do not know exactly what your problem is, pup, but you need to deal with it and move on. Lilith is here to stay."

Pup? Vilkas winced. He hadn't been called that since he joined the Circle. A term used for the youngest or more immature members of the Companions. It was a low blow. He looked up at Skjor, who was giving him a warning glare.

"I will ask for her forgiveness," he said quietly. Skjor nodded in approval and went out the door to the courtyard.

* * *

Vilkas stood anxiously on the front steps of Jorrvaskr.

"Vilkas, come inside. It is late," Ria's voice told him from the doorway.

"They should be back by now," he said aloud, ignoring her.

"She will be fine, she has Farkas with her."

"But she is blind. What if she let an enemy strike his back while he fights?"

"They will both be fine, Vilkas. Now come inside," Skjor echoed Ria from inside. Vilkas looked down one last time, and he grinned.

"They have returned," he informed them.

"I told you they would both be fine," Ria scowled. She echoed Vilkas's words to Skjor, who distantly spoke of gathering the Companions for Lilith's initiation.

Lilith rushed up the steps, Farkas chasing her. Both were laughing merrily. Farkas stopped when he saw Vilkas, putting a hand on Lilith's arm to prevent her from running up into Jorrvaskr.

"Follow me," was all Vilkas could say.

"Why?" Lilith questioned. He didn't answer, but Farkas took her hand and led her to the courtyard. "What's going on?"

"We're making you an official Companions member," Farkas told her gently. "The Circle is all here to stand witness."

Lilith beamed as Farkas gently guided her to where she was to stand. He stood next to her, Vilkas on the other side of Lilith. Kodlak was holding a torch, since the sun had recently set behind the mountains of Skyrim.

"Brothers and Sisters of the Circle," he began. "Today, we welcome a new soul into our mortal fold. Despite having an extreme disadvantage, this brave woman has endured, has challenged and has shown her valor. Who will speak for her?"

Vilkas looked around. Aela was smiling fondly at Lilith, Kodlak mirroring her and even the corner of Skjor's lips were turned upwards.

"I stand witness to the courage of the soul before us," Farkas responded, looking with favor at the blind Nord.

"Will you raise a shield in her defense?" Kodlak asked him.

"I would stand at her back," Farkas replied. Vilkas saw his hand slip into hers, immediately sparking a small pang of jealousy. "That the world might never overtake us."

"And would you raise your sword in her honor?"

"My sword stands ready to meet the blood of her foes."

"And would you raise a mug in her name?"

"I would lead the song of triumph as our mead hall reveled in her stories."

"Then the judgment of this Circle is complete," Kodlak determined before concluding. "Her heart beats with fury and courage that have united the Companions since the days of the distant green summers. Let it beat with ours, that the mountains may echo and our enemies may tremble at the call."

"It is so," every Circle member said. Vilkas had a hard time letting the words escape him, his eyes fixed on Farkas and Lilith's hand. After it was said, they released hands. Everybody stood to congratulate her, but Vilkas. He muttered a word of praise before slipping off into his room.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I only own a copy of Skyrim.**

**Meh. I know I promised that I wouldn't follow the questline, but I ended up doing so and not adding as many changes as I promise. I'm flipping things around, so hopefully it will feel different.  
**

* * *

"Vilkas? I need to talk to you."

Said twin groaned and rolled over in his bed.

"Vilkas?" Farkas called out again, knocking at the door. "This is important."

"What is it?" Vilkas finally mumbled.

"Can I come in?"

"Sure."

Farkas opened the door, looking at his twin lying on the bed.

"Vilkas, when Lilith and I went on our trial, we got ambushed by the Silver Hand," Farkas told him. Vilkas snapped up in bed.

"What happened?" he demanded to know. "Did she fail to watch your back?"

"No. She actually did surprisingly well at handling herself," Farkas replied. "I tell you this because there were so many of them at once coming…I ended up changing in front of her. I managed to convince her that nothing happened, but I'm pretty sure she's really suspicious."

"She's blind, why would she suspect that you changed?" Vilkas wondered.

"I asked why she was suspicious, and she said that my normal scent was replaced with the smell of a wet dog, plus she heard the growls and snarls of a wolf," he explained. "She's blind, Vilkas. She is not stupid. Lilith can't see with her eyes, but she clearly knows what is happening around her with her hearing and sense of smell."

"Why did you come to me?"

"You always know what to do."

Vilkas sighed and rubbed his eyes.

"What did you do after you assured her that she was going crazy?" he asked his stronger twin.

"I told her we should get back to Jorrvaskr before we got ambushed again, and she didn't ask anything about it the entire way back," Farkas replied.

"Then she probably believes you," Vilkas grumbled.

"Are you mad that I transformed in front of her?" Farkas asked, shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot.

"No, I'm angry that Kodlak let her in. She cannot properly watch our backs. If she could see, she would have been able to handle it, and there would be no need for your transformation!" Vilkas scowled.

"We can't change her sight," Farkas told him. "But she's a good Companion for somebody who cannot see. You really need to get over this personal issue, Brother. Companions cannot fight well if they cannot work with their Shield-Siblings."

Vilkas took a deep breath, remembering his promise to Skjor. He and Farkas were right, as well as Vilkas himself. The blind couldn't make good Companions, but he couldn't be a good Companion if he was constantly at war with Lilith. Everybody else liked her, especially Kodlak. He had to try to at least get along with her.

"Where is she?" he asked.

"Jon came and took her home."

"Do you know where she lives?"

Farkas nodded.

"She lives in that little house near Warmaiden, Breezehome I believe," his twin replied. Vilkas nodded and walked out the door. "Where are you going?"

"Breezehome," Vilkas's voice said as it became distant. "I owe our Shield-Sister an apology."

* * *

Vilkas looked at the door of Breezehome before sighing and knocking at the door. A moment later, Jon opened it. He stared at him, observing him.

"Looking for Lilith?" he guessed. Vilkas was sure that Jon barely remembered him, but he nodded anyway. "She's at the alchemy station, just around that corner."

Lilith did alchemy? But she was blind. How could she see what she was doing? He awkwardly made his way past Jon's observant stare and followed the directions.

She was bent over the station, grinding something into a powder before picking up a flower. The girl sniffed it before putting it down and repeating the process two more times before finding what she was looking for, adding it to the mix. Her dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail that was still wet from a recent bath and dressed in a simple light blue dress.

"I'd never imagine you did alchemy," Vilkas finally spoke up. Lilith jumped some, but calmly put her stuff down and turned to face him.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, giving him a suspicious look. "Come to complain about me to my face since everybody else is apparently tired of hearing you?"

Vilkas flinched at the harshness of her words with the hint of hurt. She must have heard more of his complaints than she let on.

"Actually, no," he replied hotly before softening his tone. "I came to apologize for my behavior. It was unprofessional."

Instead of a response, Lilith turned and began to continue her alchemy. Vilkas glared at her back.

"I just apologized, and you continue playing with plants?" he grumbled.

"I need to finish my cure all diseases potion, because you're obviously sick if I heard you correctly," she teased. Vilkas rolled his eyes.

"I am not sick," he scowled.

"Who put you up to this?"

"Nobody!" Vilkas began to wonder why he even bothered. "I came on my own accord."

She had completely paused and stilled, listening hard to his words to detect any hints of a lie. Soon her shoulders relaxed, and she turned to him, smiling.

"Then I accept your apology," she told him, stepping towards him. Before he knew it, she had her arms around his neck and was hugging him. Awkwardly, he wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her back. She smelled nice, like flowers.

Upon pulling away, she smiled sweetly at him and bid him goodnight. He stood there dumbly for a moment before he finally pulled away. Wishing Jon a peaceful evening, he left Breezehome.

* * *

Vilkas rolled his eyes, but smiled and leaned against the wall of the Bee and Barb when he saw Lilith talking to the Priest of Mara. Jon had warned him in the beginning that when traveling in a major city like Riften, Lilith had a nasty habit of randomly wandering off.

The blind girl had been in the Companions for nearly two months by now. She proved herself to be a good warrior. With help from the other Companions, she had learned how to use most weapons, but Lilith was now a master when it came to her Skyforge steel sword. Aela was even going as far as beginning to train Lilith to use a bow. Vilkas wasn't sure how that was supposed to work, but he grew tired of Skjor's constant glares and scoldings on being nice to his Shield-Sister.

He glanced out the door when a customer walked in. It was growing light outside. They needed to move soon if they wished to get to Whiterun before dark.

Standing properly, he approached Lilith and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Come on, we need to get to Whiterun before it becomes dark," he told her. She turned to him, smiling and nodding. Taking his hand, she put a necklace in it.

"Can you put this on for me, please?" she requested. Vilkas looked at the Amulet of Mara before looking at the priest. The priest was looking from Lilith to Vilkas, then from Vilkas to Lilith before smiling widely. A smile Lilith never saw.

"Why did you buy an Amulet of Mara?" he asked, staring at it. Lilith shrugged her shoulders.

"Why not? I do not plan to always be a Companion. One day, I hope to be married. Very few men care for a blind bride, but I can always hope," she explained. "This is mainly to show that I'm available."

"Many men don't care for a blind bride, but you hardly act like you're blind," Vilkas scoffed, but turned her so that he could put the necklace on for her. "You wield weapons like the best of us."

He saw Lilith's cheeks turn light pink from his compliment, and he could suddenly smell her heart beating faster than normal.

"I think that is the nicest thing you've ever told me," she replied. Vilkas rolled his eyes.

"You ready to head home?" he asked. She nodded and slipped her hand into his. "Thought you hated it when people guided you."

"You're not guiding me. I'm guiding you. You get us lost easily," she insisted. Vilkas scowled.

"I got us lost one time," he complained, letting her pull him out of the inn. One time. One time on a trip to Windhelm, and he accidentally lead them to Winterhold. So he read the names on the map wrong, it was a simple mistake anybody could make. "And you will never let me forget it, won't you?"

"Nope!" she chirped, flashing him a grin.

* * *

"Is that an Amulet of Mara?" Torvar asked in amazement. Even more amazing was that he was mostly sober. The drunken misfit winced under Vilkas's harsh glare.

"It is. And I got you some Black-Briar mead," Lilith replied, searching through her bag before producing the bottle. Torvar's eyes lit up as he took it.

"My favorite drinking buddy! Let's go put this bottle of mead to good use!" he cheered, throwing an arm around her shoulder and leading her to sit outside.

"We're going to Solitude tomorrow! Control your mead!" Vilkas yelled after her. She waved him off as they walked out the door. Vilkas sighed, rubbing his face with his hands.

"Vilkas?"

He turned to face Aela, who was smiling wide.

"Yeah?" he grouched. He was tired from the trip and just wanted to go to bed.

"What's your problem?" she asked, smile falling a bit. "Was she not interested?"

"What are you talking about?" he grumbled.

"The Amulet of Mara?" Aela questioned, suddenly giving the same smile the damn priest gave him and Lilith. "Oh, forget it. Do you want to go hunting with Skjor and I tonight?"

"You know that I change as little as possible," he sneered. Aela shrugged.

"Your loss," she replied, crossing her arms. "The Circle is having a meeting in the Underforge at sunset. We're hunting afterwards, if you change your mind."

"I won't," he stubbornly replied.

* * *

"So what is the purpose of this meeting?" Vilkas asked. Aela shot him a wide smile.

"Aela and I have been talking, and we think that it would be best for all for Lilith to join in the blood of the wolf," Skjor replied. The other Circle members seemed surprised, and Vilkas was stunned at the idea. The blind don't make good Companions, and the Circle is certainly not a place for the blind.

"Why do you think it would be best?" Kodlak asked, being the first to speak.

"She tells me often that she relies on her hearing and smell when fighting," Aela explained. "We all know the blood of the wolf heightens those senses, even in human form. It could help her become a better fighter, and it will serve her greatly in day to day life."

"I personally do not believe she should be part of the Circle just yet. She hasn't proved herself to be one yet, but I agree the wolf blood would help her," Skjor added.

"I want her to join the Circle eventually though," Aela cut in. "We need another girl. But of course, everybody in the Circle must agree before we bring in a new member or share the beast blood."

"From the jobs I've done with her, I think the wolf blood may be helpful to her," Farkas said slowly.

"I do not like the beast blood," Kodlak said softly. Vilkas let out a small breath of relief. At least somebody was going to say no with him. "This is Lilith's decision though. You must tell her all the consequences, that there is no Sovrnguarde for the beast blood, the heightened senses and everything in between. She must know what she's getting into."

"Do you have an opinion, Vilkas?" Farkas spoke up. "You're really quiet."

"You know my opinion on the beast blood," he snapped.

"This would be beneficial for Lilith," Skjor began.

"I won't let her be cursed like us!" Vilkas interrupted.

"Vilkas loves Lilith, so he doesn't want to her to be a beast because he believes it to be a curse," Aela explained.

"What? I do not lo-"

"You love Lilith?" Kodlak asked, raising an eyebrow at Vilkas. "Since when?"

"I don't! She's just my shield-si-"

"How come you didn't tell me?" Farkas wondered aloud, sounding a tad hurt.

Vilkas wanted to rip his hair out.

"I do not love her," he scowled. "Aela is just jumping to conclusions. Again." He shot her a Look that made her shift a tad uncomfortably. "I do not agree that we should even allow Lilith the chance to have the blood of the wolf. This meeting is over."

Vilkas promptly turned and began to walk out.

"Where are you going?" Farkas asked, moving to follow him.

"Hunting," he grumbled. Before Aela could re-invite him, he continued. "Not that kind of hunting. Normal hunting with a bow and an arrow."

"But it's dark outside."

"I don't care."

And with that, Vilkas left the four Circle members in the Underforge.


End file.
